


I've Got Your Back, Bro

by bluerobot



Category: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Genre: Bullying, baby charlie and mac, charliemac, cute stuff, i don't know I can't tag for shit, just little kiddiwinks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-20
Updated: 2014-08-20
Packaged: 2018-02-13 22:17:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2167206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluerobot/pseuds/bluerobot
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I have this headcanon that Charlie and Mac met in the playground when they’re kids, Charlie is being picked on and made to eat worms and stuff by the older kids, and Mac steps in to defend him, and threatens to do his sweet karate moves :) So I wrote this little fic based on that, but it was easier (well, shorter) to write if they were already buddies instead of it being the first time they meet, so here we go :)</p>
            </blockquote>





	I've Got Your Back, Bro

**Author's Note:**

> I'd say they're about age 8 here? Definitely elementary school age. I dunno you decide :)

The air smelled damp on a spring afternoon, and Mac kicked a stone along the sidewalk as he sauntered down to the park. Earlier that morning he had created a new, totally sweet Karate move that he couldn't wait to show Charlie. At home, he had begged his Mom for _ages_ to watch it, going on at her to ‘Look, Mom, look at me!’ over and over, but she hadn’t lifted her eyes from the TV, and instead just grunted out a ‘Mm-hmm’ from behind the butt of a cigarette.

As he walked through the gate of the rather dilapidated, South Philly park, Mac lifted his head to scan the area for Charlie. In the distance, he could see three kids - much bigger, older kids - who he recognized instantly, and Mac felt an uncomfortable feeling of nausea rising up through his chest. The tallest kid was by far the most intimidating and the leader of the group, and often had his two kiss-ass accomplices in tow. The three of them were often seen hanging around this area, and were always looking for trouble. In fact, only just last week they had chosen to pick on Mac when he had been practicing his Karate in the park, away from his disinterested mother. The gang was, presently, homing in on Charlie, who was sitting in his usual spot under the slide, sniffing (and apparently _eating_ ) glue paste.

Sat in the dirt with his knees pulled up to his chest, Charlie saw the shadows of the boys creeping across the ground towards him, until they engulfed his body. He swallowed, and looked up to see the three of them standing over him. The glue shook in his hands as he anticipated the beating that he felt was imminent.

‘Look who it is!’ The biggest kid snarled. He had dark circles under his eyes which made him appear even more terrifying to Charlie. ‘It’s the little dirt grub, guys! Sniffing glue again, huh, loser?’

Charlie's stomach knotted and he remained silent, unable to speak with the giant lump of anxiety in his throat.

‘Get up!’

Charlie felt his legs turn to jelly, it could have been the glue, it could have been the fear, but either way he struggled to get up from under the slide. Until the bully grabbed him buy the collar of his t-shirt and lifted the little, scruffy kid so high up that the toes of his battered baseball shoes only just stayed in contact with the dirt of the playground. The pot of paste fell from Charlie’s hand and splattered across the ground forming stark streaks of white against the dark, moist earth. Charlie was wide eyed and trembling, with the bully staring down at him, nostrils wide as he breathed angrily.

One of the sidekicks was laughing, a chubby kid with a bad haircut. He was shorter than the ringleader, but still much bigger than Charlie. He rummaged on the ground for a moment, ‘Here, eat this!’ he sniggered, holding up a worm to Charlie’s face.

Charlie grimaced, still not saying a word.

‘Go on! Eat it!’

Still being held by his collar, Charlie turned his head away as far as he was able.

‘He said EAT it!’ the leader spat.

The other sidekick, the lankiest one of the three, grabbed the hem of Charlie’s t-shirt and pulled on it until it sprung back out of his fingers. ‘Hey guys, look at his clothes!’ he spluttered with an ugly laughter. ‘They're full of holes, dude! How dirt-grubby is that?’

‘Can’t figure out why, it’s not like his mom can't afford new shit. We all know she’s got cash coming in from all over town!’ The ringleader laughed and let go of Charlie to make a vulgar hand gesture, forming a ring with his thumb and forefinger and rudely slipping it over two fingers of the other hand repeatedly. Charlie dropped back to the earth, stumbling backwards and losing his footing, hitting the ground with a thud.

‘Hey!’ Mac barked from across the park. ‘Why don’t you guys pick on someone your own size?’ He was marching over, bowed up. From watching films, Mac knew that this was about the time that the tough guy would roll up his shirt-sleeves to show he meant business. In lieu of having long sleeves, Mac rolled his t-shirt sleeves up to his shoulders. ‘If you mess with him, you mess with me!’ - another thing lifted from a film, he had frequently heard tough guys say that sort of stuff. He positioned himself between the bullies and Charlie. Up close, he realized they were a lot taller than they had appeared from a distance, in fact, he felt as if they towered over him, but Mac wasn’t going to stand down now, even as the gang began to laugh at him in a patronizing manner.

‘Oh yeah, and what are you gonna do?’ snarled the chubby kid.

‘I know Karate!’ threatens Mac, taking his signature stance, with his legs apart and hands up ready to fight.

The biggest kid burst into a hideous snorting laughter. ‘Oh my god! I _knew_ I recognized you! You mean those bullshit moves you were doing... That... that was supposed to be... that was supposed to be _karate_?’ He could hardly get his words out as he and the other two gripped their sides with laughter.

Mac felt his cheeks burn red, but he swallowed and stood his ground, maintaining his stance. ‘Yeah? Well… well guess what? My dad is really big and really tough! Yeah! And I’ll tell him about you and I’ll get him to come and _get_ you!’

‘Whatever!’ scoffed the leader, wiping at the tears of laughter in his eyes.

‘He could, he could! He’s so tough he could even beat up _all_ your dads!’ Mac furrowed his brow and put his hands on his hips, trying to emphasize his seriousness. ‘And he wouldn’t even break a sweat!’

‘Yeah, whatever. Piss off you little shit.’ The leader spat, pushing Mac out of his way and causing him to stagger back.

‘Yeah, this is between us and the dirt grub!’ the lanky sidekick chimed in, menacingly.

Charlie scuffled backwards across the ground, through the dirt and the spilled glue, cowering up against the slide.

‘No, no really! I mean it!’ Mac asserted. ‘He’s… he’s big! And really scary! And he’s in JAIL.’

The bullies paused for a second and turned to Mac, giving reason for Mac to continue.

‘Yeah, that’s right! I said he’s in _prison_. That’s how hard he is. And he’ll come and get you as soon as he gets out! I’ll tell him about you and make him come and GET YOU!’ Mac yelled, fists now balled up by his side.

The leader was still paused in thought, his entourage looking at him expectantly, waiting for their cue. He scowled at Mac and sniffed hard. ‘Come on guys,’ he said through gritted teeth as he gestured away with his chin. ‘These two little pussies ain't worth out time.’

Mac watched as the gang paced away, the chubby one turning to shoot one final warning look over his shoulder. Mac felt that he should follow up with another line from a film, something like ‘Don’t you come back!’, but he decided it would be best to leave it. He didn't want to anger them any further, and, well, he was worried his karate moves may not be able to fend off a beating from three bigger kids. Maybe one - no, _definitely_ one, yeah - but not _three_. Mac straightened up, chin held high with a sense of victory, and turned around to see Charlie still curled up against the slide, arms and hands wrapped across his face, glue smeared all over his clothes from scuffling across the ground. Mac walked over to him, and he peeked through his fingers to look up at him, still scared and wide-eyed like a lost puppy.

‘You okay, Charlie?’ Mac held out his hand to help the ragged kid up.

Charlie shakily found his feet, ‘Yeah, yeah. I'm okay’.

Mac stood him up, turned him around, and brushed Charlie down, wriggling his nose when he got sticky glue residue on his hands. He glanced at the ground around them, 'Sorry about your glue, buddy.'

‘Th-thanks, Mac.’ Charlie wiped away with his sleeve any tears that may have escaped, and looked away embarrassed, before hugging his arms across his own chest for security.

Mac stood triumphantly with his hands on his hips, and a big, smug, ‘look-how-brave-I-am’ grin on his face. ‘Don’t worry, bro, I always got your back!’ he beamed. Mac slung his arm around Charlie's shoulders and gave him a squeeze.

Charlie smiled bashfully, 'Cool, thanks, dude.'

'Now, Charlie, I have got some seriously sweet new moves that you've _gotta_ see!'

**Author's Note:**

> a little picture there of little mac and charlie for good measure. because they're so cute. and because why not?


End file.
